Micro-projector



p 1.957 0. w. BOUGHTON 2,806,406

- MICRO -PROJECTOR Filed Feb. 23, 1956 2 SheetsSheet 1 v INVENTOR. II,OLIN W. BOUGHTON BY MM ATTORNEY Sept. 17 1957 o. w. ia'ueH-roNMICRO-PROJECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23, 1956 INVENTOK. QLIN W.BOUGHTON BY L MM United 2,806,406 Patented Sept. 17, 1957 iceMICRO-PROJECTOR Olin W. Boughton, Canandaigua, N. Y., assignor to Bausch8.: Lamb Optical Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New YorkApplication February 23, 1956, Serial No. 567,292 Claims. (11. 88-24)This invention relates to projectors and more particularly it relates toan improved microproiector for projecting an enlarged image ofmicroscopical objects upon a screen.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a micro-projector ofsimple, durable and rigid construction, which may be economicallymanufactured and rnaintained but nevertheless be an efficient andreliable instrument capable of high-grade performance.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improvedmicro-projector having novel supporting, adjusting and actuatingmechanisms cooperatively arranged whereby the operating parts thereofmay be mounted in optical alignment with each other in various con1-binations and arrangements suitable for diversified conditions of use.

Further objects and advantages will be found in the novel details ofconstruction and arrangement and combination of parts by referring tothe following specification and accompanying. drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and broken away of anassembled micro-projector constructed according to my invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on. the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation, with parts shown in section, of thedevice illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an auxiliary opticalsystem.

A micro-projector generally indicated by the numeral Ill) andconstructed according to a preferred form of my invention, is shown inthe drawings. Comprised in this micro-projector is a base 11 having anopening 12 in which a rigid vertical column or post 13 is securedpreferably by a nut 14 which is threaded on the lower end of saidcolumn.

According to this invent-ion, advantageous means are provided forbracing and steadying the column 13 comprising a self-rigid housing 15which encloses electrical mechanism. to be described hereinafter, saidhousing preferably having cylindrical side walls 16 joined in,- egrallyat the top by 'a horizontal wall 17 spaced vertically from the basewhereby a rigid hollow structure is afforded. On the upper surface ofthe base 11 is formed an annular vertical shoulder 18 adapted to fit thelower edge of the side walls 16 so as to latermly position the housing15. In the upper wall 17', an opening 19 is formed through which thecolumn 13 extends in close contact therewith so as to act as a secondarysupport bearing for bracing the column in upright position. An abutmentcollar 26 is fixed on the column 13 by a lock or shearpin 21 which isanchored in any suitable manner in aligned openings in the collar andthe column. To prevent angular displacement of the column, a verticallock pin 22 is seated ina vertical here 23 s t a u n se e 2. tom Whishit P trudes into an aligned hole 24 in the housing 15. The nut 14 drawsthe collar down against the housing 15 so as to hold the housingassembled to the base 11 and when the housing is so assembled, itprovides a stable and steady secondary support for bracing the column 13in upright position.

On the upper end of the column 13, a headpiece 25 having a laterallyprojecting portion 26 thereon is fixed in any desired manner such as bythe threads 27 that are formed on the column and engage with a tappedhole in the lower end of the headpiece. The outer end 26 of theheadpiece 25 is constructed to partly overhang the base if and maypreferably be of curved shape as shown in Fig. 1.

One of the new features of this invention is provided by a rigidmounting frame 28 on which the optical elements of the micro-projector14 are mounted. Said frame 23 comprises an elongated rectangular face,along the two longer sides of which a pair of parallel side flanges 29and 34 are formed as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 so as to provide astiff and sturdy mounting member of Ushaped CIOSSrSCCtiO-IL The sideflanges 29 and as have aligned bosses 30 and 31 formed on their oppositeinner sides whereon are providedmutually parallel contact surfaces 33and 34 which engage with a companion pair of contact surfaces 35 and 36located on corresponding bosses 37 and .38 which are located on theouter end 26 of the headpiece 25'. Mounting frame 23 is mounted forpivotal motion on the headpiece 25 by means of a clamp bolt 39 whichextends through aligned bores 40, 41 and 42, 43 in the frame andheadpiece, respectively. Said bolt 3 is provided at one end with a handknob i4 and at the other end with a thread on which a nut 45 is held sothat the aforementioned contact surface may be clamped together to holdsaid frame in a stationary position at any desired angle.

Between the flanges 29 and 30 at one end of the frame 28 is formed anabutment rib 46 which is adaptedto contact against the upper surface ofthe headpiece extension 26 when the frame 23 is swung into horizontalposition as shown in Fig. 3. t On the front side of the headpiece 25,there is formed a horizontally extending bifurcated lug or strut 47having two abutment surfaces and 59 which are adapted as best shown inFigs. 2 and 3 to contact the outer edges of the side flanges and 39,respectively, when the frame 28 is swung into vertical position. The ribt6 and the strut 47 act cooperatively with the headpiece 25 and flanges29 land 30 respectively to provide stop means for defining respectivelyhorizontal and vertical positions of the frame 28.

On the front face of the mounting frame 28 at one end thereof, alamphouse 50 is positioned. Said lamphouse 50 comprises a base plate 51which extends norm 1 to said face outwardly across the optical axis ofthe instrument. Adjacent to the frame 28, the base plate 51 is providedwith a sturdy mounting flange 52 through which screws 53 extend intothreaded engagement with said frame. On the rear side of the base plate51, a lamp 5 4 is provided forthe illumination of the specimen, saidlamp being supported in lalignrnent with the aforesaid optical. axis bya lamp bracket 55- which is secured by any suitable means such as thescrews 56 to the base plate 551. For protecting the lamp 54, acup'shaped cover $7 surrounding the lamp is demountably held on the baseplate 51 preferably by a peripheral lip 58 which is slidsably fitted toand is frictionally held on an erect shoulder 59 formed on the baseplate 51. Ventilation openings 60 are preferably provided in the top ofthe cover 5'7 through which the heat from the lamp is vented. Betweenthe lamp 54 and the openings 5 4 33 5? an s ie at is h ld. n y pre er edmanner such as by the rivets 62 which are fixed in both the shield andsaid cover so that the shield is entirely supported by the cover. Acondenser lens 63 is provided for concentrating the light from the lampupon the specimen and it is 'friot'ionally or otherwise positioned andretained in an opening 64 in the base plate '51 in any desired manner inalignment with the aforesaid optical axis. The base plate 51 isappropriately apertured to provide ventilation for the lamp 554.

Next to the lamphouse and condenser lens 63 a stage 65, on which specmens to be magnified are placed, is mounted transversely of said opticalaxis and said stage is provided with a sight opening 66 which issubstantially concentric with said optical axis. The stage is providedwith a depending attachment flange 67 which e:=;-

tends downwardly along the front face of the frame adjacent to the lowerend thereof as shown in Fig. 1. On both the flange 1. 7 and the frame 23are formed coacting slideways .68 and 69, respectively, which areparallel to the optical axis of the micro-projector so that the stagemay be moved along the frame for focusing the specimen. Longitudinallyin the lower end of the mounting frame 28 there is formed an elongatedslot 76 through which "a lock screw 71 extends for locking the stage 65at various elevations. Said screw 71 is threaded at 72 into a tappedhole in the stage flange 67 and has a head 73 which bears against therear surface of the frame 28. A bar 74 anchored in the head 73 isprovided for turning the screw 71.

Beneath the stage opening 66 is mounted an objective lens 75 in opticalalignment therewith by means of a focusing type of substage comprising abase block 76 which is secured on the frontside of the stage flange 67preferably by the screws 77 which are threaded into said flange. Asshown in Fig. 4, dovetail-shaped slideways 78 and 79 are formed alongthe two long sides of the base block 76 and thereon is slidably fitted asubstage bracket 80 by means of a companion pair of slideways 81 and 82fitted thereto. Coaxial with the optical axis of the instrument, anopening 83 is formed in the bracket 80 and on L the stage side of saidopening the objective lens 75 is secured by mating threads 84 formed inthe bracket and on the objective barrel. A turret 85 pivoted on thefixed pivot stud 86 is provided on the substage bracket 80 whereon aplurality of objectives 75 may be mounted if desired. For effectingfocusing motion of the objective 7.5, the substage bracket 80 isequipped with a rotatable pinion shaft 87 which is suitably journaledtransversely in a depending extension .88 of said bracket and thereon isfixed a pinion 89. A rack 90 is formed on the front face of the baseblock 76 between the slideways in engaging relation with said pinion .89so that the pinion travels back and forth on the stationary rack as thepinion is turned. For rotating shaft 87 a suitable knob 91, shown inFigs. 3 and 4, is fixed on its outer end.

Below the objective 75 .and in optical alignment therewith is inclinablyand detachably mounted a mirror 92 by which light rays from .the opticalsystem may be directed angularly away from the micro-projector 10 to adistant screen, not shown. The mirror 92 is mounted on. a mounting rod93 by means of a bracket 94 which is freely fitted thereto and issecured thereon by a lock screw 95. At the outer end of the bracket 94is cooperatively formed on the bracket and mirror a suitable pivotalconnection 95 for inclinably holding the mirror on the bracket.

In the substage bracket 80 a bore 97 is formed wherein the upper end ofthe mounting rod 93 is removably secured by a lock screw 98 which isthreaded into said bracket so as to frictionally bear against said rod.

The lamp 54 is energized through a cable 99 from a transformer 100 whichis located in the housing 15, said housing further serving asaforementioned to brace the column or mast 113 in upright position. Aswitch 101, connected by the lead 102 to a'source ofelectrical power 4and by a lead 103 to the transformer 100, controls the lamp 54.

For effecting additional utility in the use of the microprojector 10,the magnification of the specimen may be still further increased byproviding a second or auxiliary magnifying lens system 104 which ismounted in an elongated lens tube 105 as shown Fig. 5. On its upper end,the lens tube 105 has threads 106 formed on the outer surface thereofwhich engage in a tapped hole 107 formed in the substage bracket 80 atthe lower end of the opening 83. If it is desired to direct theprojected beam laterally to a wall mounted screen after passing the lenssystem 104, a long support rod 108, which is held in a manner identicalto the short rod 93, is provided in place of the rod 93 to position themirror 92 below said lens system. in this way the range of imagemagnification may be greatly extended.

In operation, a specimen, such as mounted on a microscope glass slide,is placed on the stage 65 in alignment with the opening 66. With thelamp 5.4 energized, the image of the specimen may be projected directlyonto a screen on the wall with .the parts in position as shown in Fig.3. The image is focused by turning the knob 91 and optimum illuminationis provided by loosening clamping screw '71 and moving the stage65. Ifitis desired to project images of live specimens, the parts are arrangedas in Fig. 1 so that the stage 6.5 is horizontal and the light rays willthen be reflected laterally onto the screen by the mirror 92. Byremoving or swinging the mirror out of optical alignment, the image willbe projected down onto a screen, such as a sheet of paper placed on thetable supporting the instrument.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, I have provided an improvedmicro-projector which is relatively simple in structure yet highlyefficient in operation. The instrument embodies novel features ofmechanical con.- struction which provide rigidity to all parts, bothstationary and movable, so that accurate alignment of the parts isinsured and good optical performance results. Thus, for example, thelower end portion of the post 13 is braced by coaction with the housing16; the frame 28 is pivotally mounted on headpiece 25 by a constructionwhich insures stability while still permitting movement of the parts;and the stage 65 is slidably mounted .on frame 28 by a constructionwhich permits adjustability without sacrificing rigidity. Variousmodifications may, obviously, be made without departing from the sp ritof my invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A micro-projector comprising a base, an upstanding support columnsecured in said base, a laterally projecting headpiece fixed on theupper end of said column, an elongated frame having two substantiallyparallel flanges extending along two opposite sides thereof, saidflanges having vertically parallel contact surfaces on the oppositeinterior sides of said flanges, a pair of corresponding verticallyparallel exterior clamping surfaces adjacent the outer end of saidheadpiece whereto the'flanges are fitted in contact with the headpiece,a clamp bolt extending through aligned horizontal openings in saidheadpieceand flanges to pivotally hold the frame in selected angular:positions on the headpiece, stop means for limiting said angularpositions including a transverse rib across one .end of said frameadapted to abut the upper surface of said headpiece when the frame ishorizontal and an :outward'lyprotruding strut positioned, on saidheadpiece soas to abutsaid flanges when said frame is vertical, a lightsource and a condenser therefor carried by one end of said frame, amicroscope objective lens carried by the frame .adjacent its other endand a microscope stage mounted between said condenser and objective inoptical alignment therewith 'whereby a magnified image of a specimenthat is placed on the stage may be projected upon a screen.

2. A micro-projector having a base, a vertical rigid support postcarried by the base, a headpiece fixed-to the top of said post andhaving parts thereof extending substantially vertically and horizontallyso that a part overhangs the base, an abutment strut on one partextending substantially parallel to the other part, a frame pivotallymounted on the overhanging part of said headpiece, said frame having aparallel side flanges thereof forming substantially a U-shapedcross-section, said frame further having a protruding abutment ribformed thereon between two adjacent ends of said flanges, means forselectively locking said frame in horizontal and vertical positions incontact with its abutment means, a light source carried by one end ofsaid frame, and a subassembly comprising an object stage and anobjective mounting means, and cooperative slideways jointly formed onthe subassembly and frame in alignment with said light source whereby amagnified image of an object on said stage may be projected upon anoptically aligned screen.

3. A micro-projector comprising a base, an upstanding support columnanchored in said base, a laterally projecting headpiece fixed on theupper end of said column, an elongated frame and means for pivotallymounting said frame on the free end of said headpiece over said base sothat the frame may be turned in a vertical plane into vertical andhorizontal positions, a transverse mounting face on said frame, stopmeans formed cooperatively on the frame and headpiece for limitingangular motion of the frame, an L-shaped microscope stage having aprojecting shelf portion which is provided with a sight opening andhaving a base portion extending along said face, a sliding connectioncooperatively formed on said mounting face and base portion lengthwiseof said face by which the stage is slidably held on said frame, meansincluding clamping means for adjustably securing said stage on saidface, a substage bracket projecting outwardly from said base portionadjacent to one side of said stage and carrying a microscope objectivein optical alignment with said sight opening, said bracket having a basepart extending parallel with and carried by the base portion of saidstage, a sliding keyed connection cooperatively formed lengthwise on thebase parts of said stage and said bracket to provide lengthwise motiontherebetween, a lighthouse bracket secured on the end of the frameopposite from the substage bracket, and a light source and condensermeans therefor supported by said lighthouse bracket in optical alignmentwith said objective and sight opening whereby an image of a microscopespecimen on the stage may be projected upon a screen by the objective.

4. A micro-projector having a base, an upright support post carried bythe base, a laterally projecting headpiece fastened on the top portionof the post and having a stop member projecting substantiallyhorizontally therefrom, a frame pivotally mounted on the laterallyprojecting portion of the headpiece for selectively placing the frameeither in a vertical or horizontal position, said frame beingsubstantially U-shaped in cross-section and having an extendedtransverse face and a pair of parallel sides projecting rearwardly fromthe edges of said face, a stop member extending rearwardly from one endof said front face between the parallel sides thereof, means forselectively locking said frame in a selected angular position againstthe stop members, an optical system having an optical axis lyingsubstantially parallel to said face and comprising a light source andcondenser lens carried on said one end of said front face, an objectstage having a base portion depending therefrom and a sight openingtherethrough, coacting guide means on said depending portion and on saidface for slidably mounting the stage for motion parallel to said opticalaxis, an objective and means for mounting the objective on the dependingbase portion of the stage, said means including a second coacting guidemeans cooperatively formed on the base portion and the objective mountfor relative movement therebetween along the optical axis of the systemwhereby an image of an object supported on said stage may be projectedonto an optically aligned screen.

5. A micro-projector comprising a base, a rigid upright support columnsecured therein, means for securing and bracing said column on and insaid base including a self-rigid housing having an interior chamberformed by side walls and an integral top wall spaced upwardly from thebase, said top wall having an opening through which the column projectsin contact therewith, said means including a vertical shoulder formed onthe base in contact with said side walls for laterally locating saidhousing and unitary means for clamping said housing in assembledposition against said base so that the housing provides a secondarysupport bearing for said column, a mounting frame pivoted to the upperend of said column, a light source, an object stage and an objectivemounted on said frame in optical alignment with said stage: and saidsource so as to project onto a screen an image of a specimen that isheld on the stage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,920,183 Bossing Aug. 1, 1933 2,017,292 Porter Oct. 15, 1935 2,168,137Porter Aug. 1, 1939 2,221,160 Worthington et a1. Nov. 12, 1940 2,409,328Wilder Oct. 15, 1946

